Ferrari race ban unlikely says Stewart

Former world champion Jackie Stewart said any action taken against Ferrari
for employing team orders in the Austrian Grand Prix is unlikely to result
in a race ban. Ferrari have be called to appear before the World Sports
Council after their ...

Former world champion Jackie Stewart said any action taken against Ferrari
for employing team orders in the Austrian Grand Prix is unlikely to result
in a race ban. Ferrari have be called to appear before the World Sports
Council after their controversial decision on Sunday to order Rubens
Barrichello to move over so Michael Schumacher could take the win.

Jackie Stewart.

Photo by Jaguar Racing.

Fans were outraged and Ferrari have faced harsh criticism from other F1
personnel as well as the press. Team bosses defend the decision as necessary
as they're trying to secure Schumacher's fifth title by leaving nothing to
chance. Stewart said a ban being imposed is unlikely as it would come into
force for the British Grand Prix and attendance might drop as a result.

"The likelihood of the Ferrari team being disciplined in terms of being
banned from a race would be very unlikely," he said. "It's a commercial
decision of enormous magnitude. The attendance of the British Grand Prix
would be severely affected by the fact Ferrari are not allowed to race. That
is against the promoter, who has nothing to do with what happened in
Austria."

Steward admitted he was disappointed by Ferrari's decision in Austria and it
spoiled an exciting race: "I was very, very disappointed and I think shocked
by it because I really did believe Rubens was going to win the race, and
justly so. I just thought it was a complete anti-climax to what was actually
an exciting grand prix."